The new issue of NOW is out, wherein you’ll find my Ten Best Films of the Decade, as well as an overview of the key films and cinematic trends of the Aughties. (That’s what we’re calling them, right?)
And yes, I know, my top film is not a movie anyone else would pick. But that’s kind of the point. It’s my list. And six years later, my beloved “Shaun of the Dead” is the movie to which I keep returning, always finding something new and always, always, enjoying the hell out of myself. It is the film that gave me the most pleasure of any movie this decade.
Most importantly, it’s the movie that I found myself always weighing most carefully as I assembled my Top Ten list; every time I moved something else up or down, I had to see what that calculation did to “Shaun”. Once I realized I wasn’t trying to protect the other titles in quite the same way, the decision was clear.
So, yes. “Shaun of the Dead” is my movie of the decade. You wanna fight about it, it’s pool cues at high noon at the Winchester.
More importantly, how will “Shaun” rank when you submit your picks for Sight and Sound’s 2012 poll?
It certainly had one of my favorite scenes of the decade…the oblivious walk to the corner shop “I’m just putting 50p on the counter.” There were three overlaps with my top ten, but five of the others I haven’t seen. I’ll have to check them out, which is always one of the bonuses of these lists.
And forget the Aughties. This decade shall henceforth be called The Awful Aughts if I have to inform everyone on earth personally. It’s not just me. My family’s decade started January 2000 with my husband sitting at a red light getting rear-ended by a bus, and is ending with my bookstore going under and my husband having 8 inches or so of descending colon removed in emergency surgery (he’s recovering nicely)…and none of those events rank anywhere remotely near the worst of the decade personally. But apparently, it was OFFICIALLY an awful decade. Time magazine’s cover story is called The Decade From Hell, And Why the Next One Will Be Better. I suppose while I was wrapped up in my crap, the tsunami, Katrina, illegitimate presidency, Afghanistan, Iraq, economic meltdown, etc. were pretty bad for everyone else. I remember you writing about a number of bad things in your life, as well. About the second part of their title, here’s hoping. Happy early New Year from someone who can’t wait for this decade to be over. Even if 2012 is some sort of Mayan clusterfuck or the zombie apocalypse finally happens.
Do you have your list of “two or three dozen worthy contenders” handy? Would be interesting to see the unfiltered list you created before having to limit yourself to ten.
@ Nathan — I have no illusions, either about “Shaun” making the cut with the critical consensus or about Sight & Sound asking me to participate in its poll …
@ Chris — testify! And I hope your husband’s recovery goes as well as possible. Stupid descending colons, always making trouble.
@ Oded — I do have the list, and have been thinking about what to do with it. I may build a NOW column around it in the next couple of weeks, depending on the response to the top-ten list, so I’m going to hold off on posting it for now … but if the column doesn’t happen, I’ll definitely share it here.
Children of Men would’ve been top of my list so it’s nice to see it made yours.
nice picks norm!
i like when a list has a bit of personality and actually reflects taste rather than a mere recognition of taste.
Not a list-maker really but am quite surprised at your top pick. Not that I’m an elitist art-film snob or anything, but Edgar Wright, nice chap that I’m sure he is, doesn’t really do anything for me.
Children of Men. Now there’s a contender.